Queen Margaret’s Monologue from Richard III, Act 1, Scene 3: "What? Were you snarling all before I came?"


Synopsis

In this searing monologue, Queen Margaret, the widow of Henry VI, unleashes her bitterness and fury on the Yorkists who have usurped her family’s throne. She curses each character present, holding them accountable for the deaths of her husband and son, the loss of her crown, and her own banishment. Margaret’s speech is both a condemnation of her enemies and a prophetic declaration, as many of her curses come true by the play's end. This monologue showcases her rage, grief, and power as a queen without a kingdom.

What’s just happened before this moment that’s relevant to the scene?

Margaret interrupts a conversation between Queen Elizabeth, Duchess of York, and others at court, where tensions between the factions of York and Lancaster are palpable. Margaret, isolated and bitter, confronts the Yorkists for their roles in her family’s downfall. Her speech transitions from addressing their internal squabbling to directly cursing them for the destruction they’ve caused.

Original Text

"What? Were you snarling all before I came,
Ready to catch each other by the throat,
And turn you all your hatred now on me?
Did York’s dread curse prevail so much with heaven
That Henry’s death, my lovely Edward’s death,
Their kingdom’s loss, my woeful banishment,
Should all but answer for that peevish brat?
Can curses pierce the clouds and enter heaven?
Why then give way, dull clouds, to my quick curses.
Though not by war, by surfeit die your king,
As ours by murder, to make him a king.
– Edward thy son, that now is Prince of Wales,
For Edward our son, that was Prince of Wales,
Die in his youth, by like untimely violence.
Thyself a queen, for me that was a queen,
Outlive thy glory, like my wretched self.
Long mayst thou live to wail thy children’s death
And see another, as I see thee now,
Decked in thy rights, as thou art stalled in mine.
Long die thy happy days before thy death,
And, after many lengthened hours of grief,
Die neither mother, wife, nor England’s queen.
– Rivers and Dorset, you were standers-by,
And so wast thou, Lord Hastings, when my son
Was stabbed with bloody daggers. God, I pray Him,
That none of you may live his natural age,
But by some unlooked accident cut off."

Translation of Text into Contemporary Language

*"What’s this? Were you all fighting before I arrived,
Ready to tear each other apart,
And now you’re turning your hatred on me?
Did York’s terrible curse have so much power in heaven
That it caused Henry’s death, my dear son Edward’s death,
The loss of their kingdom, and my exile—
All to answer for that spoiled brat?
Can curses even reach heaven?
Well then, dull clouds, let my curses rise quickly!
If not through war, let your king die from excess,
Just as ours was murdered to make him king.

– Edward, your son, who is now Prince of Wales,
May he die young, like our Edward,
Who was also Prince of Wales,
Killed violently before his time.
And you, a queen as I once was,
May you outlive your glory, like I have.
May you live long enough to mourn your children’s deaths,
And see someone else, as I now see you,
Wearing your crown as you sit in my place.
May all your happy days end long before your death,
And after years of sorrow,
May you die without being a mother, wife, or England’s queen.

– Rivers and Dorset, you stood by and watched,
And so did you, Lord Hastings, when my son
Was stabbed with bloody daggers.
I pray to God that none of you live to an old age,
But instead die suddenly and unexpectedly."*

Meaning of Difficult or Unusual Words

  • Snarling: Fighting or arguing viciously.

  • York’s dread curse: Refers to the curse laid by the Duke of York before his death.

  • Surfeit: Overindulgence, often leading to illness or death.

  • Decked: Dressed or adorned.

  • Stalled: Positioned or installed.

  • Unlooked accident: An unexpected, sudden death.

Suggested New Thoughts Chunking / Paragraphing with Acting Notes

  1. "What? Were you snarling all before I came, Ready to catch each other by the throat, And turn you all your hatred now on me?"
    Acting Note: This opening should be delivered with disdain and incredulity. Margaret could sneer or laugh bitterly at their hypocrisy, emphasizing her isolation and defiance.

  2. "Did York’s dread curse prevail so much with heaven That Henry’s death, my lovely Edward’s death, Their kingdom’s loss, my woeful banishment, Should all but answer for that peevish brat?"
    Acting Note: Build momentum here with rising anger and bitterness. Show her heartbreak over her personal losses, while mocking the idea that heaven has sided with York.

  3. "Can curses pierce the clouds and enter heaven? Why then give way, dull clouds, to my quick curses. Though not by war, by surfeit die your king, As ours by murder, to make him a king."
    Acting Note: This moment can be played with a mix of sarcasm and dark triumph. Margaret sees herself as a powerful figure, wielding her curses with confidence and malice.

  4. "Edward thy son, that now is Prince of Wales, For Edward our son, that was Prince of Wales, Die in his youth, by like untimely violence."
    Acting Note: Deliver this line with deliberate and venomous precision. Highlight the parallels between her lost son and Edward, making the curse feel deeply personal and vengeful.

  5. "Thyself a queen, for me that was a queen, Outlive thy glory, like my wretched self. Long mayst thou live to wail thy children’s death And see another, as I see thee now, Decked in thy rights, as thou art stalled in mine."
    Acting Note: Play this with a haunting, almost prophetic tone. Margaret reflects on her own suffering and paints a vivid picture of Elizabeth’s future misery, drawing from her own pain.

  6. "Long die thy happy days before thy death, And, after many lengthened hours of grief, Die neither mother, wife, nor England’s queen."
    Acting Note: Let this build into a crescendo of despair and venom. Show Margaret’s ability to turn her personal anguish into a weapon, emphasizing her role as a tragic but powerful figure.

  7. "Rivers and Dorset, you were standers-by, And so wast thou, Lord Hastings, when my son Was stabbed with bloody daggers. God, I pray Him, That none of you may live his natural age, But by some unlooked accident cut off."
    Acting Note: Finish with a direct, cold fury. Address each name with pointed anger, as if Margaret’s curses are knives meant to wound. Let the bitterness of her final lines linger.

Journey Keypoints

  • Hook: Margaret confronts the court’s hostility and highlights their hypocrisy.

  • Turning Point: She transitions to cursing Edward, Elizabeth, and others, condemning them for the roles they played in her family’s downfall.

  • Climax: The imagery of death and grief escalates as Margaret proclaims her desires for their suffering to mirror her own.

  • Resolution: She concludes with a specific curse for Rivers, Dorset, and Hastings, calling for their unnatural and untimely deaths.

Famous or Notable Actors Who Have Played the Role

  • Maggie Smith (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1963)

  • Vanessa Redgrave (National Theatre, 1985)

  • Judi Dench (BBC Television, 1980)

  • Josette Simon (RSC, 2017)

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